What ails our doctors?

I refer to Dr. ( Eng. ) Nandanee Gunawardena’s Letter to the Editor on August 5 and I fully agree with her opinions about Sri Lankan doctors.

A majority of them think that they are some special class of people who should be worshipped by all others. They do not concentrate on medical matters and their patients, but are now involved in politics. They are trying to advise the Government even on financial and other matters which are not related to their profession.

The former GMOA was a respectable association but it has now been reduced to a cheap political trade union. I feel that the Government should not allow the GMOA to interfere with matters which do not directly relate to medical issues and treatment of patients. All professionals should be treated equally as schooling and other problems mentioned by the GMOA are not related to doctors only. Channel practice should be reviewed as it has made a majority of doctors very corrupt and careless when treating patients.

I agree with Dr. Gunawardena’s suggestion that opening of private medical colleges should be encouraged since there are private institutions for all other professions. The facilities in outstation hospitals should be improved and all doctors, including the GMOA office bearers, should be compelled to serve a period in outstation hospitals.